“His sister Feiyan?”Hew guessed.“Laird Deirdre?”
Eve grinned.“His maidservant.”
Carenza’s jaw dropped in wonder.“Not Merraid?”
“Och aye.The wee lass not only fought at Gellir’s back, she earned the respect o’ King Malcolm himself.”Eve began bundling up her discarded clothing.“The king gave her an audience, and somehow, with the help o’ the Pope’s emissary, peace was brokered between the king and the lairds.”
Hew furrowed his brows.What was the Pope’s emissary doing in Scotland?
“But the best part?”Eve teased.“When the king wished to reward Gellir for his loyalty, Gellir asked him to bestow a knighthood upon Merraid.”
Carenza gasped.“And did he?”
Eve nodded.
Hew let out a low whistle.That kind of noble gesture was the stuff of legends.
“Merraid must be elated,” Carenza said.“’Tis all she’s e’er wanted.”
“Och, that’s notallshe’s e’er wanted,” Eve said.“Since Merraid had just been dubbed a noble knight, Gellir asked permission from Laird Deirdre and King Malcolm…” She paused to wiggle her brows.“To marry her.”
For a moment, neither he nor Carenza could speak.
When they finally found their voices, they both spoke at once.
“Gellir and Merraid?”
“Merraid and Gellir?”
And then Hew recalled when he’d left Gellir imprisoned in the armory, he’d been shackled to the redheaded maidservant.He hadn’t had time to ask why.
Eve laughed in delight.“So ye see, ye’ve all come to happy endin’s.”She ruffled the pages in her hand.“And I’d wager the alms o’ St.Andrews, ’twas Merraid herself who wrote these verses on Gellir’s behalf.”
“A maidservant writing verse?”Hew scoffed.“And why do that if she was in love with Gellir?”
Eve shrugged.“She probably didn’t think she had a chance at him herself.But if she cared for him, she wanted him to be happy.”
Carenza clapped a hand to her heart and let out a sigh.
“The wordswerewritten from the heart,” she said wistfully.“Just not for me.How difficult it must have been for Merraid to be kind to me all that time when I was betrothed to the man she loved.”
Hew knew just how she felt.
“We have to save these verses,” she decided.“They trulyarewonderful.’Twould be a shame to lose them.”Then her eyes lit up as she turned to him.“Perhaps one day we can return them to Gellir and Merraid ourselves, Hew.”
He felt the weight of sorrow crush his shoulders.Eve had said they’d all come to happy endings.But that wasn’t quite true.He and Carenza were still fugitives.
“’Tis not yet safe for us,” he said gently.“The king—”
“Och, Eve!”Eve chastised herself.“Ye left out the best part again.”She clasped prayer hands under her chin and smiled.“Merraid made sure ye and Hew would be forgiven for fleein’.”
Carenza and Eve cheered in celebration.
Hew furrowed his brows.“That’s good news.But I’m not sure it changes much.We might be forgiven for fleeing.But fleeing isn’t the same as defying our lairds and king by marrying without permission.”
Sister Eve flapped her hand at him in unconcern.“I’m sure ’twill be fine.The king’s a romantic, after all.”
But Hew knew affairs were seldom easily solved where royal decrees were involved.At the moment, all he and Carenza had was the wedding document they’d been provided.Not even clan marks were attached to give it authority.
